The weight control product of the present invention is designed to promote weight loss as a component of a supervised moderate weight control program for individuals who are moderately overweight and desire to lose forty pounds or less. Participants in a moderate weight loss program may use this new weight control product as a daily replacement for two meals, or two meals and up to two snacks, depending upon the calorie recommendations for a particular participant. Furthermore, the new weight control product is designed to be incorporated into a multidisciplinary nutritional program having an educational component that uses the exchange system of the American Dietetic and American Diabetes Associations to teach nutritional and meal planning.
One example of a weight control product is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,227, wherein the product has a reduced lactose content and contains dietary fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,861 teaches a "weight-control powder" which is added to food before eating and contains dietary fiber. Commercially available weight control products include: Ultra Slim.multidot.Fast.RTM. which is distributed by Slim.multidot.Fast Foods, a Division of Thompson Medical Co., Inc., New York, N.Y.; DynaTrim.RTM. which is marketed by the Lederle Laboratories Division of American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, N.Y.; and OptiTrim.RTM. which is available from the Clinical Products Division of Sandoz Nutrition Corp., Minneapolis, Minn.; all of which are available in powdered form.
Almost all prior art weight control beverage products which are marketed in a powder form require the use of low-fat liquid milk for reconstitution. Some of the prior art weight control products are deficient in certain nutrients, for example ultratrace minerals, and in dietary fiber . There are some prior art weight control products which are reconstituted with water; however most of those products are used in very-low-calorie diets supervised by physicians. They do have some of the nutritional advantages of the weight control product of the present invention. Most of the prior art over-the-counter weight control products, but not those for very-low-calorie diets, rely on fat from milk (butterfat) as their fat source. The fat source of the weight control product of the present invention is high-oleic safflower oil. The fatty acid profile of high-oleic safflower oil permits the weight control product of the present invention to meet the recommendations of the American Heart Association for a diet wherein less than 10% of total calories are from saturated fat and more than 10% are from polyunsaturated fat. The fatty acid profile of butterfat is high in saturated fat. The required use of liquid milk for reconstitution makes some of the prior art products inconvenient if liquid milk is not readily available at the user's location (for example, while traveling or at a job site).
The weight control product of the present invention offers greater convenience to the user while providing a complete and balanced meal replacement. Due to the nutrient composition and sources of the new weight control product it requires only water for reconstitution; no milk is needed to contribute protein or additional nutrients. The new weight control product is a very low lactose formulation (about 3.5 g per serving), which permits its use by most lactose-intolerant individuals.
The agglomerated particles of the new product in a powdered form are easily stirring with a spoon.
The new weight control product contains a new fiber system which does not adversely affect flavor and mouthfeel when present in a greater concentration of total dietary fiber tan is found in prior art weight control products.